Dancing By The Light of The Moon: Over 250 poems to read, relish and recite

This beautiful book serves well as a simple anthology of poems you may want to learn by heart or not. However, this delightful tome is so much more than merely an anthology of much loved poetry and prose. It is a book packed with hints and tricks to help you remember poems. It examines the meaning of memory too, exploring how we can exercise and improve our memory. I've always thought of the library as a sort of gymnasium for the mind. I do voluntary work with a scheme using bibliotherapy (books and reading as therapy NOT 'bible therapy' as it was hilariously mis-labelled as at one meeting). We work with people with mental health issues and as a former service user myself I know how books and my love of reading helped me when I was in a very dark place. I am so lucky to be able to pass on this to others. We also deal with dementia which is where this book is extra relevant. So often a person who has difficulty remembering every day things will suddenly light up at the mention of a favourite book or poem from long ago, it can spark memories and conversation allowing the person living with dementia to be a part of the group. I love that I am able to 'share' this book in this way. I really recommend it. Oh and Gyles Brandreth is an engaging and captivating writer - even if he is a terrible name-dropper!

I love this book, every taste provided for, with information on poets included, very enjoyable,keep you occupied for hours.

The correlation between mental health and poetry is important and heavily emphasised by the author. Definitely worth buying this book but why include such a quantity of mostly modern rubbish? Sad to see how Brandreth felt it necessary to include the poem/rant (?) by Larkin on parents. Nasty.

I'm sure this is a wonderful book, because I have read and enjoyed many of Gyles' books, fiction and non-fiction alike - but thanks to Amazon's total lack of customer service, I have yet to have the pleasure of relishing this one. I purchased the book on Kindle in 2020, only to find that the presentation and formatting was so poor that I couldn't read the poems - words disappearing off the edge of the page, or only half-appearing. I contacted Amazon and was assured that now I had raised this, the formatting would be checked, and I would be given a refund. Once the issue is rectified, I was told, you'll be contacted, and you can re-purchase the book for the same price. Needless to say, this didn't happen.Fast forward to 2021, and the book catches my eye once again. Surely the formatting has been sorted out by now, I returned my copy months ago? Still very keen to read this volume, I bought it once again. Sorry to say, still unreadable. I have over 400 books on my Kindle, none of which have suffered this fate, so I'm as sure as I can be that the fault isn't with me. So, if you're a Kindle user, please approach with caution. And if you're part of the Kindle team at Amazon - shame on you for rewarding my continuing customer loyalty with bad service, lies and indifference.The book sounds wonderful - too bad it's just a commodity to Amazon, and not worth treating with respect.

I've always been a Gyles Brandreth fan and this definitely didn't disappoint! A well chosen variety of poetic style and emotions from a variety of writers. Saying it's a brilliant coffee table book is a bit trite! It is, but that in no way diminishes its' value or style! Also an excellent present for friends who share emotions - or those who simply need cheering up or could benefit from being slightly refocused!! There's barely a day that I don't read something from it!!

I have had this book for about a month now, and have to say that I have found it to be most interesting .I have always had an interest in poetry, but have never taken the trouble to learn a particular poem by heart, having said that, this book has rekindled my interest, and I am now taking the time to get some poems and sonnets committed to memory. I find Giles style of writing easy to comprehend, and also very encouraging, as well as very informative and interesting. I would rate the book very highly in terms of readability, it is a book to dip in and out of at leisure. It's a treasure trove as far as I am concerned, and have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone who would like to learn poetry, and also improve their memory. Lovely book!

What an engaging book. Sucks you in and holds your attention all the way through. Even the section at the end with the background stories is a delight to read. Loved it.

Very dissapointed in both paper and printing…quality in the paper and size and printing very low grade which spoilt it for me as I was really looking forward to it. I really loved all that was in it old and familiar to me which I read very often.. MADE ME FEEL QUITE DOWN.

Poetry to learn and old favourites. Information about the poetry.

This is right up my alley, and I devoured it and return to it often. I recite these poems to the cats—Macavity: The Mystery Cat (Eliot) is their favorite, but they are an appreciative audience for them all.

Great book on poems and comments on them

Wonderful introduction to English poetry, you can read cover to cover. It really changed something in me.

I thought I had made purchase of NEW copy of this book. When it arrived it looked like a used copy.Not at all happy with the state given its worn look.The book itself is beautifully written and a delight to read.